Budget blues

Manoj Joshi in Coat of arms (March 7) makes a series of conflicting assumptions. He talks about China’s determination to be a superpower.

Manoj Joshi in Coat of arms (March 7) makes a series of conflicting assumptions. He talks about China’s determination to be a superpower. Surely, a superpower at our doorsteps would pose a strategic challenge to India. In fact, we face no credible trans-Himalayan threat. He says ‘there was not even a ripple when India increased its defence budget, but a lot of concern when China did the same’. The reason is India’s 7.8 per cent increase was just above the inflation rate, while China’s increase was a whopping 17.8 per cent.

Harsh Ray, Delhi

Call a spade just that

Today, Pakistan is under renewed pressure for being home to terror schools. But our government has further absolved Pakistan of all its complicity in promoting terrorism by agreeing to set up a joint anti-terror mechanism. What are the compulsions that force Indian governments to come to the rescue of Pakistan?

Kamal Hak, Noida

Disgruntled teachers

Apropos of the editorial That scientific spirit (March 2), about the recruitment of scientists and engineers, minds that will be inspired to do exciting science cannot be left to contractual teachers, which is the dominant mode of recruitment in universities and colleges. Good science students will go abroad and the rest will be advised not to join science courses unless they are planning to do MBA or other service-oriented jobs. Under the present policies, there won’t be role models around when students are trained for science or technology.

SK Bhattacharjee, Indore

Raining dogs and cattle

With reference to the report Dogs maul 4-year-old to death (March 2), those who look forward to India becoming a superpower are aware that stray dogs and cattle run riot in our cities and that the authorities do little to curb the menace. Cases of dog bites and citizens being mauled by bulls are reported frequently but authorities are doing nothing.